Hyderabad HC stays AP govt order of mandatory one year service by PG medicos in private hospitals

A Raju, Hyderabad
Monday, July 17, 2017, 08:00 Hrs [IST]

The Hyderabad High Court has stayed the recently issued government order (GO) of Andhra Pradesh state, making it mandatory for the post graduate (PG) medical students studying private colleges to serve one year compulsory service in the private hospital attached to the medical college.

In fact, as per earlier Rule, any medical PG students whoever completed their course had the choice to serve one year mandatory service in primary health centres and other government hospitals, however, moving against to this Rule, the AP government had recently issued a GO No 99 on 23rd June 2017 making it mandatory for the PG doctors to serve a one year mandatory service in the same hospital attached to the private medical college. “The new GO issued by the AP government is infringing on the rights of the PG doctors. We have vehemently opposed to this and contended successfully in the High Court. We demand the government to immediately role back this order and give a free hand for the PG doctor to choose the hospital of their choice as per earlier guidelines,” informed Dr. Vithal Rao, a PG medical student, who had petitioned in the High Court against the government order.

Delivering a favorable verdict for the petitioner, the High Court Justice M S Ramachandra Rao, stayed the GO issued by the AP government.

Earlier, L. Ravichander, a senior counsel appearing for the petitioner told the High Court that the AP government’s GO is against the rights of the doctors and contended that this was nothing but infringement of free decision making right of the PG medicos.

However, the Counsel who appeared for the government objected to the plea and contended that the writ was not maintainable as it was a purely service matter and said that the petitioner has to avail other remedies. Upon hearing both sides, the judge rejected the contention of the government counsel and suspended the operation of the GO from immediate effect.

With this, all the newly completed PG medicos are relived and they can now opt for their own choice to work in any government primary healthcare centre or government hospital as per earlier mandatory service rules for the medical students.